Malacothamnus fremontii var. exfibulosus

Short-haired unfurled bushmallow, heller's bushmallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 3.3

Short-haired unfurled bushmallow is a California native shrub found in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation at elevations of 45 to 640 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces pale pink to white flowers clustered in delicate inflorescences. Growing as a compact shrub up to 2.5 meters tall, it features densely stellate-hairy stems that are entirely covered with fine, intricate hairs. Its leaves are roughly round to widely ovate, often with subtle 3 to 5 lobes, featuring an ashy to light-green surface with dense stellate hair coverage. The plant's distinctive hairy texture and ability to persist in recovering burn areas make it an important component of regenerating woodland landscapes.

Habitat: Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages

Bloom period: May-Jun(Aug)

Elevation: 45-640 m

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.